Janis Ian Album

Sometimes it's all too much to say aloud
The sound's a shroud
The meanings crowd
Sometimes the words are painful to the ear
They disappear and nothing's clear

‘Til all that's left to me are aftertones
I take them home
We live alone
But I remember chains of melody
It pleases me - this song's for free

Within the memories of our life gone by
Afraid to die, we learn to lie
And measure out the time in coffee spoons
In fading suns and dying moons

‘Til all that's left to see are aftertones
And no one knows
Where meaning goes
But i remember chains of melody
It pleases me - this song's for free

And ooh, I like the sound
Of harmony from time to time
I really do believe
In some kind of tomorrow
When it speaks to me

Look at me I would like to dance
But I haven't the clothes for romance
So I'll stay with the boys in the band
I would like to be cool
Like the ladies who drool as they advance
But I can't get my feet
To go where I lead with my toes

At the debutante's ball everybody does all they can do to enhance
Every corset in town in a gown made specially in France
And the men here can tell at a glance
I would like to maintain
but it sure seems a shame to sit on my hands
And I only got into the swim
by the seat of my pants

Not another woman in the world
Who could make a living
Pitching the light fandango
dancing on the streets of the city
Look at me, playing freelance at the ball
Catch my entrance to the hall
Far from the gilded lily

Look at me would you like to dance
I've a book illustrating the stance
And I can't get my head
To go where I lead
With my toes
I feel solo

Love is blind
Love is only sorrow
Love is no tomorrow
Since you went away
Love is blind
How well I remember
In the heat of summer pleasure
Winter fades

How long will it take
Before I can't remember
Memories I should forget
I've been burning
Since the day we met

Love is blind
Love is without a mercy
Love is "now you've hurt me
“now you've gone away"
Love is blind
Love is no horizon
And I'm slowly dying
Here in yesterday

In the morning
Waking to the sound of weeping
Someone else should weep for me
Now it's over
Lover, let me be

Love is blind
Love is your caress
Love is tenderness
And momentary pain
Love is blind
How well I remember
In the heat of summer pleasure
Winter fades

She never had too much of money
Friendly strangers were all she knew
Nobody ever came to call but you
I would not say she isn't happy
Though the eyes of a fool will make her blue
Nobody's ever seen the tears it's true
I guess nobody wanted to

We'll have a celebration
Ice cream and candy cakes
She's very young to go so far away
And then there'll be the papers
In black and white to say we're through
Nobody every loved me quite like you
I guess nobody wanted to

And there'll be roses
In the springtime still I guess there will
I wish her roses and song
And she'll be older
As years go by, and how they fly
Will she be lonely without me along?

She doesn't make friends easily
She's only known a few
The incidental stranger passing through
On Sundays and holidays
I'll take her far away
We never tried to save the love we knew
I guess nobody wanted to

[No lyrics]

[No lyrics]

Boy, I really tied one on
I spent the night away from home
I know you're not to blame
If I can't recall your name
And I'm sorry if it causes you pain

Boy, I really lost my head
I woke up in a double bed
Allow me the pleasure of taking your measure
Though I'm sure you ain't nobody's treasure
And I know it isn't ladylike
To do what I've done tonight

Wake up, I've got news for you
Nobody's knocking at your door
Nobody's gonna pull you through
Nobody needs you any more
Nobody's knocking at your door

Boy, I went around the bend
Thought I'd made a life-long friend
Imagine my surprise when I looked into your eyes
And I saw the kind of friends you meant

I think I'm gonna take the cure
I'm going on the wagon for sure
I may feel a fool for a Sunday or two
But it's better than a Sunday with you
And I know it isn't ladylike
To do what I've done tonight

Wake up, I've got news for you
Nobody's knocking at your door
Nobody's gonna pull you through
Nobody needs you any more
Nobody's knocking at your door

I gave a party
I said you could come
You showed up at your door
With all your leathers on
I said This must be wrong
It can't be right
How can you make love to me
Dressed up for a fight?
Pick me up off the floor
No more
'Cause you surely can't be mine

Religion came
almost overnight
You were the high priest
I was the sacrifice
I said this must be wrong
This can't be right
Take off your stupid robe
And put down your knife
These ropes are getting tight
All right
You surely can't be mine

I come home half dead
Late on a Saturday night
You stand on the bed and you
tell me you're learning to fly
I said Take off your boots
Take off your cape
Throw away your long johns
I ain't no Lois Lane
Before I get my kryptonite
All right
'Cause you surely can't be mine

I was ready for love
Big brass bed and all
I was ready for love
You said Let's talk about the war
I said What war?
What war?
Take off your clothes
And don't you worry me no more
I ain't no fly by night
All right
You surely can't be mine

Winter's cold, summer's hot
Love is old, dreams are not
Times are hard and so am I
Tired heart, too tired to cry

Dreams are all I have to give
When we die our dreams still live
Old man, I'm thirsty still
One day I'll drink my fill

Oh, I've been away too long
I've been away too long
I don't remember how it's done
Can I call on you for help
Do I have to help myself

Are you glad with what you've got
Are you burning, are you hot
When we're old, like as not
We will burn until we rot

Don't weep old man, don't weep don't cry
I knew you when
I was so much colder then
Fathers always build the dreams
Children tear apart the seams

Old man, I'm thirsting still
One day I'll drink my fill
Old man, please don't die
Before our thirst is satisfied

When we grow old
And love grows cold
And time runs down
Like a river
That calls us home

The eyes grow dim
The light grown thin
And time will
End here forever
Long time gone

Then time and the river
Must stop in their tracks
Or roll on forever
There's no turning back
I've waiting too long
To be left here like this
Long time gone

Then weep no more
The heart is pure
These hands are sure
Like a river
That clings to shore

The love we learn
The love we burn
A love that burns
In the darkness
Will weep no more
Dreams die young